Electron microscopic inspection apparatus

ABSTRACT

Both wafers on which copper wiring was performed and wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed can be inspected by a single unit of electron microscopic inspection apparatus with no possibilities of the wafers being contaminated with copper. All elements within the apparatus that come in contact with wafers, such as hands of a wafer transporter, are duplicated or more and one of the elements that contact wafers is used appropriately for the wafers under inspection which may be either the wafers on which copper wiring was performed or the wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to electron microscopic inspectionapparatus for semiconductors and, more particularly, to the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus for inspecting semiconductor waters.

2. Description of Related Art

In order to enhance the operating speed of semiconductor devices,semiconductor industries have come to adopt less resistive copper wiringinstead of aluminum wiring. However, a problem associated with thecopper wiring is that, if copper exists in insulations ofsemiconductors, it diffuses ten times as fast as aluminum and thisdeteriorates the device performance. Thus, copper as an impurity shouldbe eliminated completely out of semiconductor fabrication processes.Accordingly, some semiconductor fabrication equipment has been developedto be dedicated to semiconductor production including a copper wiringprocess (Nikkei Microdevices, February 1999). For example,electroplating apparatus has been contrived to protect the undersidesurface of a wafer from being contaminated with copper (NikkeiMicrodevices, November 1999). Such apparatus is dedicated tosemiconductor production including a copper wiring process and contrivedto prevent copper impurities from being mixed into semiconductorconstituent substances, but a single unit of such apparatus is notdesigned to process wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed aswell as wafers on which copper wiring was performed.

Meanwhile, as disclosed in JP-A No. 260776/2000, there has been proposedan idea to prevent copper diffusion on the wafer side not the waferfabrication equipment side, but a dedicated process must be added toimplement this.

For the purpose of inspecting semiconductor wafers, electron microscopicinspection apparatus such as a metrological scanning electron microscope(SEM) or the like is used. At the present, the electron microscopicinspection apparatus for semiconductor wafers is used such that units ofsuch apparatus provided to inspect wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed are completely distinct from units of such apparatus providedto inspect wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed.Consequently, if both copper wiring and non-copper wiring processes areincluded in the entire process of fabricating a specific semiconductordevice, the number of required units of electron microscopic inspectionapparatus increases by a factor of 1.5 on an average as compared withthe process only including the conventional aluminum wiring, though thefactor varies, depending on the ratio between both wiring processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide electron microscopicinspection apparatus, even a single unit of which capable of inspectingboth wafers on which copper wiring was performed and wafers on whichnon-copper wiring was performed, while preventing the wafers from beingcontaminated with copper, and without adding a dedicated process.

According to the present invention, both the wafers on which copperwiring was performed and the wafers on which non-copper wiring wasperformed can be inspected by a single unit of inspection apparatus withno possibilities of the wafers being contaminated with copper.

Because there is no copper atmosphere in a wafer passage within theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus, copper diffusion in theapparatus can be prevented if it is avoided that copper is diffusedthrough the medium of something that comes in direct contact withcopper. In other words, by eliminating any possibility of the wafers onwhich copper wiring was performed coming in direct or indirect contactwith the wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed, a single unitof such apparatus is made able to inspect the wafers, whether copper ornon-copper wiring was performed on them.

Through such consideration, the present invention has been made and oneaspect of the invention resides in an electron microscopic inspectionapparatus comprising means for transporting wafers between wafercontainer means and a main body of the apparatus, aligner means foraligning wafer orientation, and wafer mount means for supporting andmoving wafers within the main body of the apparatus, wherein the wafertransporting means, the aligner means, and the wafer mount means have aplurality of wafer support elements, respectively, and one of theplurality of wafer support elements contacts and supports wafers underinspection.

The aligner means detects the orientation flat and notch for each waferand align the wafer orientation. One wafer support elements may supporta wafer with one contact member or a plurality of contact members withthe wafer.

One of the plurality of wafer support elements is used appropriately fora wafer process performed on the wafers under inspection. For example,one of the plurality of wafer support elements is appointed to support awafer on which copper wiring was performed and the other of theplurality of wafer support elements is appointed to support a wafer onwhich non-copper wiring was performed. Alternatively, one of theplurality of wafer support elements is appointed to support a siliconsemiconductor wafer and the other of the plurality of wafer supportelements is appointed to support a hybrid semiconductor wafer.

The electron microscopic inspection apparatus of the present inventionfurther comprises means for discriminating between types of the wafercontainer means and a control unit for controlling the watertransporting means, aligner means, and wafer mount means, wherein thecontrol unit determines one of the plurality of wafer support elementsto be used for the wafers under inspection in the wafer transportingmeans, aligner means, and wafer mount means, according to a signal fromthe discriminating means.

According to another aspect of the invention, the electron microscopicinspection apparatus further comprises the control unit for controllingthe wafer transporting means, aligner means, and wafer mount means,wherein the control unit determines one of the plurality of wafersupport elements to be used for the wafers under inspection in the wafertransporting means, aligner means, and wafer mount means, according towafer process information sent from an external computer.

According to the present invention, semiconductor production can besustained by a minimum necessary number of units of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus, and, consequently, semiconductormanufacturers can reduce investment in factory equipments and the spacerequired for the equipments. This especially gives study and developmentsections much of an advantage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the electron microscopic inspectionapparatus for explaining the wafer passage.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an aligner.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a wafertransporter.

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of another aligner example having twotables.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of another example the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention for explaining different wafer passage.

FIG. 7A is a B—B section view of a load lock chamber viewed in thedirection of arrow B of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7B is another B—B section view of the load lock chamber viewed inthe direction of arrow B of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a further example of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention for explaining yet different wafer passage

FIG. 9A shows an example of pads which come in contact with a wafer onthe top surface of a stage.

FIG. 9B shows another example of pads which come in contact with a waferon the top surface of a stage.

FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B, FIG. 10C, and FIG. 10D illustrate wafer changeaction.

FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, and FIG. 11C are detail views of section A of FIG.1.

FIG. 12 illustrates an operational setting example to be supplied to theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention now are describedhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawingsto be referred to hereinafter, like reference numbers refer to partshaving like functions and repeated explanation is avoided.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention.

Electrons emitted from an electron source 19 are converged throughelectron optics 20 and, with the electrons controlled by a deflector 21,a wafer 1 supported on a wafer holder 8 is scanned. A detector 22detects secondary electrons and reflected electrons from the water 1 anda secondary electron image, a reflected electron image, and a potentialcontrast image are generated. Electron optics columns 23, a load lockchamber 6, and a scanning chamber 10 can remain in a vacuum throughevacuation by a vacuum pump 24 and can be opened to atmospheric pressureby purging dry nitrogen gas when necessary.

Usually, wafers under inspection 1 are put in a Front Opening UnifiedPod (FOUP) or a cassette 2 which is mounted on a load port 3. A wafertransporter 4 withdraws an arbitrary wafer under inspection 1 from thecassette 2 and puts the wafer under inspection on an aligner table whichis not shown in FIG. 1. When the load lock chamber 6 is opened toatmosphere and a valve 7 becomes open, the wafer transporter 4 sets thewafer aligned by the aligner on the wafer holder 8 within the load lockchamber 6. When the valve 7 is closed and the load lock chamber 6 isevacuated to a vacuum, a valve 9 opens and the wafer 1 mounted on thewafer holder 8 is loaded onto a stage 11 within the scanning chamber 10.The stage 11 can move the wafer 1 at least in two dimensions so that anarbitrary position on the wafer comes directly under an optical beamaxis of electrons 16. Thereby, with regard to a desired probe point onthe wafer, measurement of pattern dimensions, pattern appearance check,foreign substance detection, foreign substance observation, and otherinspection can be performed.

The wafer under inspection 1 for which inspection has finished,remaining mounted on the wafer holder 8, is unloaded to the load lockchamber 6 in the reverse direction. When the load lock chamber 6 isopened to atmosphere, the wafer transporter 4 picks up the wafer 1 fromthe wafer holder 8 and unloads the wafer to the cassette 2. By repeatingthe procedure described above, the inspection of a plurality of wafersput in the cassette 2 is performed automatically.

The electron source 19 of the electron microscopic inspection apparatusis controlled by a high voltage control CPU 31 and the electron optics20 are controlled by a electron optics control CPU 32. The vacuum pump24 is controlled by an evacuation control CPU 34. The waver transporter4 and stage 11 drives are controlled by a stage and wafer transportingcontrol CPU 33. These control CPUs 31 to 34 are managed by a hostcomputer 25 of the electron microscopic inspection apparatus. The hostcomputer 25 also performs the management of recipes which define asequence of the above inspection operation. The host computer 25connects to and communicates with an external computer 26 such as a hostcomputer for a production line and receives recipe specificationsappropriate for the wafers under inspection from the external computerand sends measurement results to the external computer.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the electron microscopic inspectionapparatus shown in FIG. 1 for explaining the wafer passage.

Among the components of the electron microscopic inspection apparatus,the wafer transporter 4, aligner 5, and wafer holder 8 have elementsthat come in contact with wafers. The cassette 2 also has elements thatcome in contact with wafers, but the cassette 2 should be managed by auser and is not considered as a component of the electron microscopicinspection apparatus. The electron microscopic inspection apparatus ofthe present embodiment includes at least two wafer supporting elementsin contact with wafers in the wafer transporter 4, aligner 5, and waferholder 8, respectively.

The elements of the wafer transporter 4 which come into contact withwafers are hands 12 which come in contact with the underside surface ofa wafer. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the wafer transporter 4 has twoarms 12A and 12B. For example, one arm 12A is appointed as the arm totransport wafers on which copper wiring was performed and the other arm123 is appointed as the arm to transport wafers on which non-copperwiring was performed. By using one of the two arms 12A and 12Bappropriately for a wafer process performed on the wafers underinspection, it is avoided that wafers on which non-copper wiring wasperformed are contaminated with copper from wafers on which copperwiring was performed through the medium of the wafer transporter 4.

Next, the aligner 5 is discussed. The aligner 5 is to detect theorientation flat and V notch for each wafer and align the waferorientation by rotating the wafer. The elements of the aligner 5 whichcome into contact with wafers are tables on which wafers are mounted fornotch or orientation flat detection. In the present embodiment, thealigner 5 has two tables 13A and 13B. For example, one table 13A isappointed as the table on which wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed are to be mounted and the other table 13B is appointed as thetable on which wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed are to bemounted. By using one of the two tables 13A and 13B appropriately forthe type of the wafers under inspection, it can be avoided that waferson which non-copper wiring was performed are contaminated with copperfrom wafers on which copper wiring was performed through the medium ofthe aligner 5.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the aligner 5. In the aligner shown in FIG. 2,the two tables 13A and 13B are horizontally installed in differentposition. In this case, by installing the tables 13A and 13B atdifferent height, as shown in the side view of FIG. 3, the required areafor the aligner 5 can be reduced. As notch detectors 14A and 14B of thealigner 4, transmission-type light sensors and laser sensors can beused.

Next, the wafer holder is discussed. The wafer holder is used totransport a wafer 1 between the load lock chamber 6 and the scanningchamber 10 and the holder on which the wafer is mounted is set on thestage 11 so that the wafer 1 is moved inside the scanning chamber 10.The electron microscopic inspection apparatus of the present embodimentincludes two independent load lock chambers 6A and 6B. The load lockchambers 6A and 6B are equipped with valves 7A and 7B, respectively, toopen the load lock chambers 6A and 6B to atmosphere and close thechambers and valves 9A and 9B, respectively, to open and close thepassage to the scanning chamber 10. Wafer holders 8A and 8B are providedin the load lock chambers 6A and 6B, respectively. For instance, oneload lock chamber 6A and one wafer holder 8A provided therein areappointed to be used for wafers on which copper wiring was performed andthe other load lock chamber 6B and the other wafer holder 8B providedtherein are appointed to be used for wafers on which non-copper wiringwas performed. By using on of the two wafer holders 8A and 8Bappropriately for the type of the wafers under inspection, it can beavoided that wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed arecontaminated with copper from wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed through the medium of the wafer holders.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing another wafer transporter examplewith at least two elements that come in contact with wafers. This watertransporter 41 has a single articulated arm 42 with two hands 43A and43B or more on its end. The end of the articulated arm 42 is rotated onthe axis 44 such that the hand to be used can be selected. The hand 43Bis ready for use in the state shown. In the wafer transporter 41 havingthe above-described structure as well, for example, one hand 43A isappointed to transport wafers on which copper wiring was performed andthe other hand 43B is appointed to transport wafers on which non-copperwiring was performed. By using one of the two hands 43A and 43Bappropriately for the type of the wafers under inspection, it can beavoided that wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed arecontaminated with copper from wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed through the medium of the wafer transporter.

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of another aligner example having twotables. The aligner of this example has two tables 46A and 46B which areconcentric and only the inner one of which moves vertically. The innertable 46A concentric with the outer table can move vertically higher orlower than the outer table 46B by a cam follower mechanism 47 or thelike. When the inner table 46A is set higher than the outer table asindicated by a solid line in FIG. 5, a wafer 1 rotates, supported on theinner table 46A. When the inner table 46A is set lower than the outertable, a wafer rotates, supported on the outer table 46B. A mechanismwhich rotates the tables is not shown. In the case of use of the alignerhaving the above-described structure as well, for instance, the innertable 46A is appointed as the table on which wafers on which copperwiring was performed are to be mounted and the outer table 46B isappointed as the table on which wafers on which non-copper wiring wasperformed are to be mounted. By using one of the two tables 46A and 46Bappropriately for the type of the wafers under inspection, it can beavoided that wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed arecontaminated with copper from wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed through the medium of the aligner.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of another example of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention for explaining different wafer passage and this plan viewcorresponds to FIG. 2. This embodiment is an example where the apparatusincludes only a single load lock chamber 6. In the load lock chamber 6,a wafer holder change mechanism 15 having an elevator mechanism or thelike is provided and two wafer holders 8 can be housed in the chamber.In this embodiment, independent aligners 5A and 5B are providedseparately.

FIG. 7 shows B-B section views of the load lock chamber 6 viewed in thedirection of arrow B of FIG. 6. In the load lock chamber 6, the waferholder change mechanism 15 is installed which comprises two wafer holdermounts 51A and 51B, a ball screw 52 which causes the wafer holder mounts51A and 51B to move vertically, and a motor 53 which rotates and drivesthe ball screw 52. The wafer holders 8A and 8B, on the top surfaces ofwhich wafers 1A and 1B can be mounted, respectively, can be mounted onthe wafer holder mounts 51A and 51B, respectively. Height position Hmarked in the figures indicates the height at which the wafer holder isloaded and unloaded.

As shown in FIG. 7A, when, through the elevator mechanism, the lowerwafer holder mount 51A is positioned at the height H allowing the waferholder to be loaded and unloaded, the wafer holder 8A mounted on thelower wafer holder mount 51A can be selected and changed. As shown inFIG. 7B, when, through the elevator mechanism, the upper wafer holdermount 51B is positioned at the height H allowing the wafer holder to beloaded and unloaded, the wafer holder 8B mounted on the upper waferholder mount 51B can be selected and changed. Even with a single loadlock chamber 6, the wafer holder change mechanism 15 can select in thismanner a desired wafer holder suitable for the wafer process performedon the wafer to be loaded and load the wafer holder to the scanningchamber 10.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of a further example of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention for explaining yet different wafer passage and this plan viewcorresponds to FIG. 2. This embodiment is also an example where theapparatus includes only a single load lock chamber 6.

The wafer 1 set on a wafer mount 18 is set on a stage 61, using a waferchange mechanism 17 which can be used in a vacuum. In this embodiment,the stage 61, wafer change mechanism 17, and wafer mount 18 have two ormore elements that come in contact with wafers, respectively. Aplurality of stages of wafer mounts 18 are vertically disposed and canbe moved up and down by an elevator mechanism shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B.Thus, two or more mounts which come in contact with wafers can beprovided even if they are in one area in plan as shown in FIG. 8. Thewafer change mechanism 17 has two arms 17A and 17B and the arms 17A and17B can support wafers on both ends, respectively.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the stage 61 used in this embodiment. Thestage 61 of this example is provided with two or more sets of three pads62A to 62C and 63A to 63C which support a wafer, respectively, and canmove up and down. This structure allows one set of the pads to support awafer under inspection for which a specific wafer process was performedwhile the other set of the pads being retracted not to contact with thewafer. In this way, two or more wafer supports can be provided.

FIG. 9A shows one state where the pads 62A to 62C are protruded whilethe pads 63A to 63C are retracted so that a wafer is supported by theprotruded pads 62A to 62C. FIG. 9B shows another state where the pads63A to 63C are protruded while the pads 62A to 62C are retracted so thata wafer is supported by the protruded pads 63A to 63C. For example, thepads 62A to 62C are appointed as the pads to support a wafer on whichcopper wiring was performed and the pads 63A to 63C are appointed as thepads to support a wafer on which non-copper wiring was performed. Byusing one of the two sets of the pads 62A to 62C and 63A to 63Cappropriately for the type of the wafers under inspection, it can beavoided that wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed arecontaminated with copper from wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed through the medium of the stage 61.

FIG. 10 illustrates in detail wafer change action using theabove-mentioned wafer change mechanism 17. Through the example where theupper and lower two stages of wafer mounts 18A and 18B which can bemoved up and down by the elevator mechanism are employed as the wafermounts 18, as shown in FIG. 7, the wafer change action will beexplained. For example, when changing wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed, the lower wafer mount 18A of the upper and lower two stagesof wafer mounts and the arm 17A of the wafer change mechanism 17 areused as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. When changing wafers on whichnon-copper wiring was performed, the upper wafer mount 18B of the upperand lower two stages of wafer mounts and the arm 17B of the wafer changemechanism 17 are used as shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D.

FIG. 10A shows a state where the arm 17A of the wafer change mechanism17 supports on both ends, for example, an inspected wafer 1UL on whichcopper wiring was performed, which was being supported on the protrudedpads 62 on the stage 61, and a wafer 1L, the next one to inspect, onwhich copper wiring was performed and which was being mounted on thelower wafer mount 18A of the upper and lower two stages of mounts. Fromthis state, as the arm 17A rotates, the inspected wafer 1UL on whichcopper wiring was performed is set on the wafer mount 18A and the nextwafer 1L to inspect on which copper wiring was performed is set on theprotruded pads 62 on the stage 61, as shown in FIG. 10B. Meanwhile, FIG.10C shows a state where the arm 17B of the wafer change mechanism 17supports on both ends an inspected wafer 1′UL on which non-copper wiringwas performed, which was being supported on the protruded pads 63 on thestage 61, and a wafer 1′L, the next one to inspect, on which non-copperwiring was performed and which was being mounted on the upper wafermount 18B of the upper and lower two stages of mounts. From this state,as the arm 17B rotates, the inspected wafer 1′UL on which non-copperwiring was performed is set on the wafer mount 18B and the next wafer1′L to inspect on which non-copper wiring was performed is set on theprotruded pads 63 on the stage 61, as shown in FIG. 10D.

In this manner, according to whether the wafers to handle are those onwhich copper wiring was performed or those on which non-copper wiringwas performed, by using one of the wafer mounts 18A and 18B, one of thearms 17A and 17B of the wafer change mechanism 17, and one of the setsof the pads 63 and 64 appropriately, it can be avoided that wafers onwhich non-copper wiring was performed are contaminated with copper fromwafers on which copper wiring was performed.

Next, a method of judging whether the wafer 1 under inspection is thewafer on which copper wiring was performed or the wafer on whichnon-copper wiring was performed and setting the electron microscopicinspection apparatus to operate, according to this judgment, isdiscussed. Discrimination between wafer types may be performed by anoperator, that is, the operator judges which process was performed onthe wafers under inspection and enters this information to theapparatus. However, in order to eliminate the possibility of humanerrors, it is desirable to arrange for a mechanism that allows theapparatus to automatically discriminate between wafer types and use oneof the plurality of the parts that come in contact with wafersappropriately, based on the self-obtained information for wafer typediscrimination.

Discrimination between wafer processes can be made, for example, at theload port 3, by judging whether the cassette 2 contains wafers on whichcopper wiring was performed or wafers on which non-copper wiring wasperformed. In common practice, users discriminate between a cassette 2of waters on which copper wiring was performed and a cassette 2 ofwafers on which non-copper wiring was performed. Through detection ofthe type of the cassette present at the load port 3, the apparatus canautomatically judge whether the cassette contains wafers on which copperwiring was performed or wafers on which non-copper wiring was performedand use one of the plurality of the parts that come in contact withwafers appropriately.

As is illustrated in FIG. 11 that shows details on section A of FIG. 1,for example, an incorrect mounting prevention pin 27 is currentlyemployed in the load port. According to whether this pin fits in therecess of a-cassette 2, cassettes or FOUPs of wafers on which copperwiring was performed can be discriminated from those of wafers on whichnon-copper wiring was performed is made, thus preventing mixing of thedifferent types of cassettes in the load port. Instead of the incorrectmounting prevention pin 27, a micro switch or the like can be used todetect the cassette type by the activation of the micro switch 28, ifthe switch is set to be activated for the cassettes of wafers for whicha specific process was performed. The thus detected signal asin-cassette wafer discriminating information is sent to the stage andwafer transporting control CPU 33, as indicated in FIG. 1. According tothis discriminating information, the stage and wafer transportingcontrol CPU 33 can control the stage and transporter elements that comein contact with wafers so that one of the plurality of parts should beused appropriately for the wafers under inspection which may be eitherthe wafers on which copper wiring was performed or the wafers on whichnon-copper wiring was performed.

Similarly, information as to discrimination between cassettes of wafersor wafers on which copper wiring was performed and cassettes of wafersor wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed may be transferredonline from the external computer 26 such as the computer supervisingsemiconductor production lines to the host computer 25 of the electronmicroscopic inspection apparatus. Based on such information, theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus can use one of the pluralityof parts that come in contact with wafers appropriately for the wafersunder inspection which may be either the wafers on which copper wiringwas performed or the wafers on which non-copper wiring was performed.

FIG. 12 illustrates an operational setting example to be supplied to theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus. With the automation of waferproduction lines, online apparatus operational setting to handlediscrete lots and wafer types has already been practiced. By includinginformation for copper wiring discrimination from other types of wiringperformed on wafers in the currently supplied information to theapparatus, the above control can easily be performed. The externalcomputer mentioned herein may be provided to execute either apparatusmanagement or production line management.

Embodiment examples in which one of the plurality of parts that come incontact with wafers is used appropriately for the wafers underinspection which may be either the wafers on which copper wiring wasperformed or the wafers on which non-copper wiring performed have beendescribed hereinbefore. However, the present invention is alsoapplicable to other cases, for instance, when handling a plurality oftypes of wafers which may be either silicon semiconductors or hybridsemiconductors, in addition to the kinds of wafers discussed in theembodiments. For example, semiconductors include arsenic which isharmful to the human body and their handling needs care. Thus, the partsof the inspection apparatus which come in contact with thegallium-arsenic semiconductor wafers should be separate from the partsthat come in contact with silicon semiconductor wafers for easy handlingmanagement. The invented inspection apparatus can prevent the diffusionof compounds and atoms of silicon semiconductors and hybridsemiconductors into other type ones as can prevent copper diffusion intowafers on which non-copper wiring was performed.

1. An electron microscopic inspection apparatus comprising means fortransporting wafers between wafer container means and a main body of theapparatus, aligner means for aligning wafer orientation, and wafer mountmeans for supporting and moving wafers within the main body of theapparatus, wherein each of the wafer transporting means, the alignermeans, and the wafer mount means has a plurality of wafer supportelements, and one of the plurality of wafer support elements of thewafer mount means contacts and supports wafers under inspection.
 2. Theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus according to claim 1, whereinone of the plurality of wafer support elements is used appropriately fora wafer process performed on the wafers under inspection.
 3. Theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus according to claim 1, whereinone of the plurality of wafer support elements is appointed to support awafer on which copper wiring was performed and the other of theplurality of wafer support elements is appointed to support a wafer onwhich non-copper wiring was performed.
 4. The electron microscopicinspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the pluralityof wafer support elements is appointed to support a siliconsemiconductor wafer and the other of the plurality of wafer supportelements is appointed to support a hybrid semiconductor wafer.
 5. Theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising means for discriminating between types of said wafers incontainer means and a control unit for controlling said wafertransporting means, said aligner means, and said wafer mount means,wherein said control unit determines one of the plurality of wafersupport elements to be used for the wafers under inspection in saidwafer transporting means, said aligner means, and said wafer mountmeans, according to a signal from said discriminating means.
 6. Theelectron microscopic inspection apparatus according to claim 1, furthercomprising a control unit for controlling said wafer transporting means,said aligner means, and said wafer mount means, wherein said controlunit determines one of the plurality of wafer support elements to beused for the wafers under inspection in said wafer transporting means,said aligner means, and said wafer mount means, according to waterprocess information sent from an external computer.